Teaching & Curriculum

The mission statement of Barnard College begins:

"Barnard College aims to provide the highest quality liberal arts education to promising and high-achieving young women, offering the unparalleled advantages of an outstanding residential college in partnership with a major research university. With a dedicated faculty of scholars distinguished in their respective fields, Barnard is a community of accessible teachers and engaged students who participate together in intellectual risk-taking and discovery. "

The Barnard faculty are scholar-teachers dedicated to demonstrating the ties between teaching and scholarship in the classroom with the ultimate aim of awakening a lifelong love of learning and guiding each student to make her own intellectual discoveries. By challenging each student to attain the highest intellectual standards while remaining responsive to her needs and engaging students in experiences that demonstrate the connection between knowledge and action, faculty prepare Barnard women to lead and serve in their professions, community, and the world.

Committee on Instruction

The Faculty Committee on Instruction (COI) is the College's principal formulator of educational policy and is in charge of approving all new courses, general education requests, and any changes to the curriculum. The committee includes one tenured and one non-tenured faculty member from each of the four voting groups. If you have any questions regarding the Committee on Instruction, please contact the Office of the Provost, x42708.